Former Australian Prime Ministers (L-R) Malcolm Fraser, Julia Gillard, Bob Hawke, current Prime Minister Tony Abbott, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating assemble for a photograph at the completion of a memorial service for former Prime Minister Goug
Former Australian Prime Ministers (L-R) Malcolm Fraser, Julia Gillard, Bob Hawke, current Prime Minister Tony Abbott, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating assemble for a photograph at the completion of a memorial service for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam at Sydney's Town Hall, November 5, 2014. Whitlam, who died on October 21 aged 98, was one of his country's most revolutionary yet divisive statesmen, forging ties with China but triggering a constitutional crisis that split the country. Reuters/Dan Himbrechts
Former Australian Prime Ministers (L-R) Malcolm Fraser, Julia Gillard, Bob Hawke, current Prime Minister Tony Abbott, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating assemble for a photograph at the completion of a memorial service for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam at Sydney's Town Hall, November 5, 2014. Whitlam, who died on October 21 aged 98, was one of his country's most revolutionary yet divisive statesmen, forging ties with China but triggering a constitutional crisis that split the country. REUTERS/Dan Himbrechts/Pool (AUSTRALIA - Tags: POLITICS OBITUARY)

Political observers described the Wednesday memorial service, which saw seven living prime ministers gather for a photo opportunity, for former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam as like an Australian Labor Party convention since the deceased PM belongs to the same party.

The Herald Sun confirms the strong Labor flavour of the event as it reported that current PM Tony Abbott and another former Liberal PM, John Howard, were jeered by the crowd as they arrived at the service held in Sydney.

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In contrast, Mr Abbott's nemesis - former Labor PM Julia Gillard - was cheered by the obviously ALP-dominated crowd.

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Spared from the partisan reaction of the crowd was former Liberal PM Malcolm Fraser who succeeded Mr Whitlam in 1975. The daily said that Mr Fraser received a warm reception.

2GB host Ray Hadley described the heckling that Messrs Abbott and Howard got as "lacking in class and dignity" as well as disrespectful to the memory of Whitlam who died at the age of 98.

The booeing that the two Liberal PMs was commented on in social media sites.

Reezy Miller tweeted: "Tony Abbott must be getting used to boos by now."

Tim Lyons described the crowd reaction as Bourgeois panic as he commented that "Street crowd who turned up to honour Gough don't like Libs," adding, "I'm shocked."

Jansant's sarcastic comment was: "I would've been outraged if the human rights abusing misogynistic xenophic fascist @TonyAbbotttMHR wasn't jeered."

But Darren Holtgen noted: "When Margaret Thatcher died, the LEFT called for champagne. When Gough Whitlam died, the Conservatives showed respect."

The political colour aside, the Sydney Morning Herald described the memorial as a "relatively dry affair" since the former PM died at a ripe age, just two years short of becoming a centenarian.